Autumn in the Midlands at the Drakensberg Alpine Heath Resort. PICTURE: Supplied by KZN Tourism
Times might be tight and petrol prices may have increased of late, but there’s never an excuse for not taking a holiday – especially when you are in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).
That’s the advice this school holiday from Tourism KwaZulu-Natal.
With the province not only close to most major centres, it offers a myriad choices to recharge your batteries.
These include the Drakensberg mountains and the Easter months of March and April are the perfect time to let down your hair in KZN with the milder weather in the lead up to autumn.
Here are some tips on how to take time off in March and April:
Redefine your holiday
Stop for a moment and look at what it means to take a holiday. If the first thing you think of is jetting off to a five-star resort, think again and consider self-drive and self-catering options. A holiday should be about having fun and sharing that fun on Instagram, but it doesn’t have to break the bank. Having a good time in an unexpected destination still makes good photographs. If you can, save for one big ticket activity – ballooning in the Drakensberg or shark diving off the KZN Coast – and then do what you never get a chance to do – spend time beside the pool, walk in the mountains or along the beach, enjoy a braai with the family under a perfect starlit sky.
Benefit from last minute deals
Flights might be more expensive booked lastminute.com but accommodation isn’t. When bookings fall through, resorts offer specials to fill the spaces and you could benefit from last minute discounts that could include staying for two nights and getting one night free.
Visit www.zulu.org to find some special offers and discounts that extend from the countryside to the coast.
Do the maths
Many resorts offer some interesting add-ons to entice guests. A quick look at the deals on www.zulu.org shows how resorts throw in free game drives, both dinner and breakfast and even spa treatments which would ordinarily have guests out of pocket. Instead, they can now be allocated to the accommodation budget.
Rethink your destination
Taking up last minute special offers can mean having to settle for places that you wouldn’t ordinarily consider. Make that part of the adventure and, chances are, you’ll find hidden gems that you would have never experienced.
Stay close to home
Travel costs and budgets mean that far away destinations might be out of reach - but KZN has one of the most diverse offerings of all.
A destination that is just a few hours away can have you feeling like you’re in another world – the journey from the city to a Big 5 resort, the top of a mountain or catching waves along the beautiful KZN North Coast could be no more than a few hours away. Too many travellers head off far and wide and don’t get round to enjoying their own province. But even the smallest trip can launch us into new experiences, cultures, cuisines, and communities and give us a whole new take on life.
Plan a mini cation
Bigger is also not always better. If you can’t afford that two-week getaway, take a short break. Mini getaways of two to four nights could be cost and time effective and even enable you to travel more frequently. Again, a short visit to www.zulu.org will demonstrate that there are plenty of options available and that forking out for a two-night stay can get you a third night as a bonus.
Avoid the weekends
We all know that it is easy to get away for a weekend but there are great specials to be had if you stick to weekdays.
You may also find other packages that allow a third guest to stay free if two stay over or even for kiddies to bunk down for nothing with their parents. If you are travelling without a family and are not confined to school holidays, then KZN is really your oyster as rates are lower and off-season specials abound.